My 12 Senators (if the elections pushes thru)

Honestly my friends, I only voted once in my life---and it was for Jovito Salonga as president. Salonga lost but at least I stood up and counted myself in those millions who believed in him.

Now, should the elections push thru as planned, though I still believe that elections are being used as social tranquilizers to lull the great masses to sleep, if asked, I'll vote for these people. I remember my colonel friend asking me if I have a list of people in my mind who deserves the support of the masses. His request was about two or three months ago. I decided now is the time for me to reveal my list.

Brigadier General Danilo "Danny" Lim deserves to be elected either as a Senator or a Vice President. He fits into what our group, the Maginoo Movement, describes as the New Patriot. He has Integrity. He has a very good track record of government service. He has a good platform of government and his chances of winning is high. Should Gen. Lim really participates in the 2010 elections, I'll vote for him. We deserve someone who has the fortitude of Spirit and the Vision to lead this nation to glory.

However, Danny Lim and his group should not allow join Villar's Nacionalista Party. No. If they decide to do so, then, I'm sorry sir, I just have to set my sights somewhere else.

I would also vote for Cong. Darlene Antonino-Custodio should she decides to run for the Senate. Custodio has the brains, not just the beauty. What more, Darlene has the right political attitude. However, I hope she does not go the Chiz Escudero route. She must always be consistent on pursuing the Cause.

Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga is one such guy who deserves our support in case he runs for the Senate. Meloto's work is world-class. He could provide valuable knowledge in solving our housing problems. His insights into poverty alleviation are gems that deserve national attention.

Teddy Casino says he wants to run for the Senate. I will support him because he has the right frame of mind and he has the fortitude of Spirit, just like General Danny Lim.

Susan "Toots" Ople deserves a Senate slot due to her relentless passion for the plight of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Its high time that a pro-labor Senator be elected in the Senate.

For all his faults as a pro-Gloria, Gilbert Gibo Teodoro actually deserves a Senate slot. If he abandons his ambitions for the presidency, Teodoro is a fine addition to the roster of senatorial luminaries.

Ka Satur Ocampo is also a revolutionary all his life and deserves to leave a lasting legacy as a Senator. He has passed so many laws that improves the lives of his people and voting for him is both a responsibility and bears urgency.

Atty. Harry Roque is a fine example of a principled barrister. He fights for the weak. He has so many ideas on how to reform this country. He deserves to complete his service in the Senate.

I heard so many good things about Cong. Roilo Golez and analyzed all his statements and concluded that he deserves a chance for the senate.

Another person who deserves a Senate slot is Amina Rasul. She ran for the senate once and lost because she does'nt have enough funds. Nonetheless, we deserve someone like her who fights for the Bangsamoro. She's very intelligent and has the right nationalist frame of mind. She deserves support.

Of course, re-electionists Jamby Madrigal and Juan Ponce-Enrile, should they decide to run for re-election, deserves our support. Madrigal is a fighter of lost causes. Madrigal deserves another term.

Enrile has been doing the right things lately and he deserves another term.

Time to Reassert Freedom of the Press

Makati Court judge Branch 54 Reynaldo Laigo today killed press freedom with just five pages of nebulous writings. In his decision, he dismissed the class case filed by media advocate Atty. Harry Roque against government and police officials involved in the arrest of media people who covered the November 29 Manila penn siege.

Laigo said there is nothing illegal nor arbitrary with the arrests, even granting a cloak of legality to the police order. Short of being accused of contempt, I find the decision appalling and outright stupid.

Laigo wrote that the complaint "does not constitute sufficient cause of action for damages against the defendants that warrants further prosecution of this case." He says there's nothing arbitrary about it.

What I found stupid and disgusting about this decision is that it only took Laigo five pages to resolve a purely constitutional issue. I really don't understand Judge Laigo. He totally missed the point. This is not a question befitting some analysis of the Rules of Court; this is a constitutional issue which should at least merit more than 5 pages. Probably, Laigo thought that the issue has already passed; and therefore, groups do not find this important anymore. Well, he's dead wrong. His decision could even spark a full-blown revolt!

“This is a big blow to press freedom. In effect, it’s the police now who can say when you can cover an emergency and when you cannot,” Luis Teodoro of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said Wednesday.

Laigo may have decided unjustly. Media organisations should go to the Supreme Court for solace. They simply can't get it from Laigo's court.


The media groups complained the arrests were “arbitrary and illegal having made with the abuse of discretion… the police officers being fully aware that there was no probable cause to believe they were committing or had committed an offense.”